video

[highhealplz]

Hi! Hi again, to people I know already, hello for the first time, to anyone I haven't met yet. I'm Ashraf Salib, one of the heads of the clinic, high priest, snazzy dresser… [ He waves a hand. ] General things like that.

So, I'll get straight to the point. In the wake of the mutiny, I've seen a lot of talk on the network that I haven't seen before. Establishing a code of conduct, uniting… there was even some discussion of who you personally look to as a leader. Whatever your opinion of the mutiny may be, you have to admit that it's sparked some new subjects for us. And I'd say they're things we've been needing to talk about.

It isn't just a matter of wresting control from the Initiative, I think that was overly hasty and shortsighted. I think what we should be looking at is how to take control of ourselves. We're a really big group up here, with over three-hundred of us. That's a lot of voices to be heard at once, especially when none of them have much in the way of a recognized authority.

So, I think that should change.

My suggestion would be a council, voted on by the entire Transport body from a number of nominations. The people that we most trust are the ones we should have speaking for us — deciding for us. Because someone needs to. That we're still locked in this base after over two months up here should be evidence enough that it's difficult to achieve much of anything with no one calling the shots.

I've got some specific ideas about the organization of this council, which I wrote down and can attach here, but I want to hear from you. How should we organize ourselves? How can we decide who to listen to? This won't work if we don't all agree to it, and we need to agree on something. We're in a precarious position up here that frankly can't last, and it's past time that we take it into our own hands to change that.

{attached: councilnotes.txt}

Choosing Council Members
- 11 members total, to allow for tie-breaking (do we need more?)
- Members should be elected from nominations (should it take 2 votes to nominate? maybe 3…)
- Every 3-4 months (more often? less?) we vote again, which is meant to keep our current members or replace them with new ones

Council Voting
- Anyone can propose an issue to the Council for voting
- Voting on routine issues should be monthly
- Emergency issues should have immediate votes

Potential Issues
- Being sent home by the Transporter! Members can be replaced in the quarterly(?) election, but if the group falls under a certain number (7?), we can hold an emergency election
- Decisions made the majority doesn't agree with: should a majority vote in the Transport population overturn a Council decision? Or only make the Council revote after open debating of it?
- What if someone is nominated and voted in, but unwilling to take the position?
- What should be done with those who refuse to acknowledge the authority of a Council?
- What boundaries can be placed on what the Council has the power to decide on, to avoid a tyranny of the majority?
- Can we perform audits, to be sure our Council members aren't becoming corrupt?

Suggestions received so far:
- Designated seats for established groups? DITR, clinic, non-humans, etc. This would assure they're given a voice, respectively as experts and those with different values
- Nominations should fit an agreed-upon criteria
- Background checks should be run before a Council member is accepted
- A 60% vote by the Transport population can overrule a Council decision
- Should voting on Council members be mandatory? We want as varied a vote as possible, but uninformed votes are worse than fewer votes
- Elections could run on cycles, replacing (or keeping) only 3-4 Council members at a time
- Pending return to Exsilium, this should be used as a civilian council, and a military council can be arranged as well
- A code of conduct: no one can be tried for a crime committed at home


red = ideas recently added from this post, thank you to everyone for them!

Comments

[highhealplz]

That's a grim scenario. But, you're right, not impossible.

[ He's quiet for a few seconds, considering it. ]

I still think we would have the power to back ourselves up, if we had to. And if we ran into an Initiative that wasn't willing to listen to decisions we made for ourselves, well... that's not an Initiative I'd want to help win any wars.

[5055034455]

I like to have all my bases covered.

[ :) ]

What you're talking about sounds a lot like independence. Which is great in theory, but history's proven that revolutions of that kind tend to get a little... mm, bloody.

/gently threadjacks in text

[falla]

The very world we're currently living on is more than enough proof of that.

Besides, that would put us into a two pronged fight.

[5055034455]

We don't want a war within a war.

[highhealplz]

You're right. And so is Charlie. This isn't anything I'd ever want to get into, if it could be at all avoided... but I also think it's a lot more steps down the road than just the processes of getting things set up is ready to handle.

[5055034455]

Right, right. I'm getting ahead of myself. Anyway, Ashraf, I think this is a good idea. Not without its flaws, but still good. You wanna talk legal issues, things pertaining to government — you give me a call.

[A pause.]

I wish I could offer more than that right now, but I'm exhausted.

[highhealplz]

Don't worry, I know. This is a rough time. [ especially if you happen to be Jesse's keeper. ]

Don't think about any of this right now, but as something to consider later — there's been talk of arranging a committee to put together an acceptable code of conduct for us, before we get to the business of electing this council. I think we could really use you on something like that.

[5055034455]

[Hahahaha.

"Rough."

Hahahahahaha.]

I'm happy to help wherever I'm wanted.